As technology reshapes every corner of the logistics world, companies face a critical question: how much automation is too much?

“In the Time Critical world, it’s important that you use the best of both, but the priority has to be the human element at the end of the day,” Air Partner’s Senior Vice President of Cargo for UK and Rest of the World Eliska Hill said. More recently, Air Partner has increasingly focused on Time Critical logistics, specifically serving the aerospace maintenance and AOG market. Offering services such as a Direct Drive (RFS),  Onboard Courier (OBC), Next Flight Out (NFO) up to a part of full charter flight. There could be a combination of different services, which is where Air Partner strengths come into their own.’’

While many in the sector rush to implement AI, bots, and fully digital booking portals, Hill insisted that the core of Air Partner’s Time Critical success remains its people. “ Having the personal touch directly with the customer, with whom you have a relationship, is critical. Whilst there’s a lot of email communication these days, there has to still be plenty of verbal communication,” she explained.

Air Partner is currently integrating a new logistics system to support its Time Critical operations, critically to increase efficiency. But the system is meant to assist – not replace – the hands-on expertise of brokers. “You use the tools, you use the knowledge… predicting the disruptions, advising the best routings, availability of capacity,” Hill outlined. “But at the end of the day, you’ve still got to have that vital human element, and that’s the difference.”

According to Hill, other companies have gone too far in chasing automation. “Nobody speaks to anybody. Everybody will just send an email or it’s an automated message, which is not how it should be at the end of the day,” she highlighted. “Yes, if there’s some tracking information that needs to be shared, however what happens when there’s a problem?”

Looking ahead, Air Partner will launch a centralised global cargo system, enabling access to networks and shared information across its international offices. But Hill is adamant: “It’s really important not to go too far and lose that human interaction.”

Ageing aircraft opportunity

While some may view ageing aircraft as a logistical liability, Hill sees a market ripe with opportunity. “We’re not looking to be a global dominator in the field,” she highlighted. “We’re looking to stay a small part, because it is a huge industry… and I think with the delays in aircraft orders and increasing usage of older aircraft, the demand is never-ending.”

The post-pandemic aviation landscape has left many airlines flying older aircraft – and struggling to keep them airworthy. “Keeping those older aircraft flying takes a lot of work,” Hill stated. “We provide a variety of serices for legacy carriers with large fleets.”

Parts are needed quickly and frequently, and in many regions, the logistics are far from straightforward. “If you’ve got a carrier that’s in Africa or in South America… these are not easy places to move to, it’s going to require air freight,” she noted.

This surge in aircraft maintenance needs has bolstered demand for both scheduled and time-critical cargo services. And with manufacturing backlogs stretching years into the future, the reliance on older aircraft will persist., especially with the demand for wide-bodied aircraft carrying e-commerce

“You’ve hit the nail on the head with the demand for e-commerce and the need for specific, dedicated aircraft,” Hill agreed. “They all want a 747F or a 777F and there are still B747-200s that are flying.”

Even smaller aircraft have critical moments. “When it does happen and you have a HNWI (High net worth individual) on board that needs to be somewhere, quite urgently, somebody will jump on a plane with a box under their arm, and off they go,” she continued.

“The whole business sits under that time-critical banner. It’s not just limited to aerospace,” Hill added. “The opportunities are there.”

Creative advantage

Air Partner’s time-critical cargo model hinges on something many forwarders lack: creativity and flexibility. Hill explained: “A freight forwarder will just say, ‘Well, I’m going to book it on X carrier because I’ve got a good rate.’ Hang on. But is that the best for the customer?”

With charter experience at their core, Air Partner brokers go deeper. “What time does that flight leave? We can actually get it there earlier if we look at this option, if we truck it to that airport, we can get onto that freighter that goes direct.”

This flexibility is particularly vital for aerospace clients, who often face unique routing challenges. “It’s going that next step, that added value,” Hill expressed. “That circles back, to the world of a charter broker, it’s just evolving onwards into a wider scale.”

Multi-modal logistics is now a critical part of that solution set. Hill credited the team’s years of experience and deep supplier relationships: “They know which trucking companies are going to be good with engines and those who are not.

That understanding extends to the carriers themselves. “The team know what’s going to fit. They know who’s the best person to carry it… you can quote quite quickly, or give an indicative rate very quickly, because of their experience.”

Logistics with a personal touch

Air Partner’s ambitions may be international, but Hill insisted that regional insight and personal relationships remain at the heart of their strategy. It’s asking the right questions and gathering vital information ahead of sourcing the solution.

Questions such as ..“Where are the parts actually coming from?” she asked. ‘ Often engines are coming out of the US, however there are other key manufacturers and suppliers based globally.” Getting these parts to places like Africa or South America on time often demands air freight and an expert understanding of routing.

-And the intricacies don’t stop at cargo. With each client and project, Air Partner teams must engage with multiple partners. “Every one of our customers will have their own SOPs,” Hill explained. “One recent one had eight touch points in their supply chain. One of those falls over, then you’ve got a challenge.”

That’s why building trust externally is just as important as training internally. “They went out and reiterated the service standards to all eight of those partners, this is what we need,” Hill said.